Air cleaner



June 15, 1937. g, L, HE LAR 2,083,649

AIR CLEANE R Filed May 5, 1936 INVENTOR.

Geo/ye L. Hey/0w AI'ITORNEY.

Patented June 15, 1937 .UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE George Sign; Ahnira, Wash. Applicatiozlfili, 21133.1 88:: )No. 77,960

Thisinvention relates to an improved air.

cleaner and washer and one object of themvention is to provide a 'device of this character which will serve very effectively to remove dust from air prior to entry of the air into the carburetor of an internal combustion engine.

Another object of the invention is to so form the cleaner that dust will be very effectively re moved from the air and deposited in oil in the cleaner, any oil which may be taken up by the air as it passes through the cleaner being removed therefrom before the air leaves the cleaner.

Another object of the invention is to provide an air cleaner of such construction that it may be easily taken apart and thoroughly cleaned, then easily and quickly reassembled.

Another object of the invention is to provide a cleaner having an auxiliary air inlet which is normally closed but will be opened by suction go when the engine is running at high speed and more than the normal quantity of air is needed. I The invention is illustrated in the accompany-'- ing drawing, wherein Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improved air washer.

Figure 2 is a. sectional view taken vertically through the cleaner.

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view of a cleaner having a modified construction.

This improved cleaner has a housing formed of upper and lower sections I and 2 which arecylindrical and at their meeting ends are formed with outstanding flanges between which a gasket is disposed, as shown at 3, so that when the lower section is secured to the upper section by the fasteners 4 a tight joint will be formed. The latches are of a conventional construction and securely but detachably hold the lower section to the upper section.

The upper section is provided with an air inlet port at the center of the head 5 at the upper end of this section and through this opening extends the upper portion of a pipe 6 which is disposed axially of the housing and is held in its vertical position by the collar 1. The collar may be soldered to the head of the housing, a tight joint formed by packing held in place about the pipe by the collar. To further secure the said joint from leaking a gasket 1 is placed aro ind the pipe 6 and capped with a metal ring 1"; these members are held in place between the top 5 and flange 6' extending from the pipe. Referring to Figure 2 it will be seen that the pipe 1 divides the housing into an entrance chamber or passage and a larger chamber surrounding the pipe and through which air passes on its way out of the cleaner. Y c

The lower section or pan 2 is to be partially filled with oil and in this pan is placed a perforated plate or disk8 which is provided with supporting legs 9 serving to retain the disk in spaced relation to the bottom of the pan. A cylindrical member I extends fronithe bottom of the pan and terminates with 'an angular flange 8" to which a series of screens 8" are attached. The cylinder being spaced-from the walls of the pan I to provide a passage for any return oil that might have been carried upward with the air. Over the center ofthe disk 8 is'disposed a tubular screen III which is joined to a tube or pipe II of less length than the pipe 6 but of suflicient diameter to fit snugly about the pipe. 6. The upper portion of the tube II is enlarged to form a chamber in which packing is placed, as shown at l2, and thus prevent leakage between the pipes. Therefore, air will pass down through the two pipes without escaping prior to reaching the lower end of the pipe ll. As the screen In is immersed in the oil,

the air will make contact with the oil and a. portion of the air forces its way downwardly into the oil and then upwardly through the oil before passing upwardly through the housing about the pipes to the outlet neck l3 which projects from a side of the housing at the upper end of the upper section I and may be connected with the air inlet of a carburetor in any desired manner.

A cartridge having a cylindrical casing l4 fits snugly within the upper housing section and has its upper end closed by a disc 15 of perforated sheet metal which fits tightly about the pipe 5 and is disposed even with the lower portion of the outlet neck l3. Discs I6 and I! of wire screen are spaced from each other below the disc [5 and between the discs [5 and I6 is placed a porous pad l8 formed of steel wool and as the air passes through the screens and the porous pad before reaching the outlet neck, oil in suspension will be removed from the air before the air leaves the cleaner. The lower portion of the casing is bent inwardly and then upwardly to form a channel or seat l9 and a flange 20 which extends upwardly at an incline from the channel and serves as a confining element for screens which are disposed in-massed formation about the upper end portion of the pipe or tube II. A skirt 2| of canvas or other suitable fabric has its upper end portion secured in the channel l9, as shown at 22, and about its lower edge carries a wire, 23 which retains the skirt in its proper'shape with the lower edge of the plane of a baffle plate 24 carried by the pipe l-l. As the skirt is formed of fabric it may be drawn upwardly by increased suction created when speed of the engine is increased and free passage of air between cylinder 8 and walls of the housing will be permitted. When the lower housing section has been removed, the cartridge and the pipescan be easily withdrawn from the upper 10 housing section and thoroughly cleaned and replaced.

When this air cleaner is in use, the neck I3 is connected with the air intake of a carburetor in any desired manner and suction created by the engine will draw air inwardly through the pipes 6 and II. The air upon reaching the lower end of the-pipe ll passes through the screen Ill and discharged through the outlet neck l3 and pass to the carburetor.

To compensate for excessive quantities of air which may be needed by an engine running at high speed, the head 5 of the upper housing section has been formed with an air inlet opening surrounded by an inwardly projecting flange 25. This opening is normally closed by a valvedisc 3 provided with a gasket 21 to seat against the flange 25 when the valve is in a closed position.

The stem 28 extends upwardly through the air V inlet and through a bridge 29 which straddles the opening and the upper end portion of this stem is threaded to receive a nut 30 which bears against a. spring 3| disposed about the stem and,

49 resting upon the bridge. Therefore, the valve will normally be heldclosed but may be drawn downwardly to an opened position-by increase of suction created when the speed of the engine is increased. By adjusting the nut, tension of the spring may be regulated and the suction re--.

quired to move the valve to an opened position controlled. r

In Figure 3 tnere hasbeen illustrated an air cleaner of a modifled'con'struction. In this embodiment of the invention the housing 32 has its bottom 33 formed with a central opening through which passes an air outlet pipe 34, the upper end of which is received in the lower portion of a pipe 35. The pipe 35 is surrounded by screens 36 and 36' the outer margins of which bear against a flange 31 and 3'! corresponding to the flange- 20 and 8" and there have also been provided screens 38, 39. and 40 together with a porous pad 4| of steel wool which is disposed be-' tween the screens 38 and 39. These screens and the porous pad fit about the pipe 35 within the casing 42 of a cartridge whichflts loosely in the housing in spaced relation to walls thereof and at its-lower end carries a skirt 43 correspondingto the skirt'll andhaving its lower edge terminating adjacent a baflle plate 44 carried by the pipe 34 and a cylinder 5| supported on the bottom of the cleaner. A head 45 is provided for the upper end of the cartridge and carries a stem 46 which projects upwardly therefrom and passes through an'opening formed at the center of a head 41 removably secured to walls of the housing at the upper end thereof. By turning the nut 48 carried by the stem, the cartridge may be vertically adjusted in the housing and the extent to I 2,088,649 skirt normally a very short distance above the l which walls of the cartridge overlap air inlet slots 49 formed in the walls of the housing regulated. It will thus be seen that the freedom with which air passes through the inlet slots may be regulated. When this form of cleaner is in use, 5 the air enters through the slots 49 and passes downwardly between the cartridge and the walls of the housing until it reaches the lower end of the cleaner there passing through perforations 50 in cylinder 5| and then upwardly through the 10 cartridge. Dirt and other heavy foreign matter is deposited in the oil and light dust and oil particles which may be taken up by the air will be removed as theair passes through the screens and the porous pad. Upon reachingthe upper 15 end portion of the cartridge, the air passes downwardly through the pipes 35 and 34 and will be delivered to the air intake of a carburetor. The skirt normally hangs vertically from the lower end of the cartridge but when an engine is run 20 at suflicient. speed to create excessive suction, the skirt will be drawn upwardly and thus provide more room between the lower edge of the. skirt and the cylinder 50 for air to pass between the skirt and cylinder andample' air will be pro- 25 vided. An auxiliary air inlet controlled by a valve corresponding to the valve 26 may be provided in the head 41 of the housing, if so desired.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is: 50

' cylindrical casing fitting snugly in the upper section, a curtain depending from the casing about the lower endther'eof, a perforated disc at the upper end of said casing disposed below the out- 40 let, a screen disc in the casing below the perforated disc in spaced relation thereto, the perforated disc and screen having close fit about .the pipe and being firmly secured to the casing for remova1 therewith as a unit from the upper housing 45 section when the lower section is removed, a porous pad between the perforated disc and screen, a bailie plate supported in the lower housing section and spaced upwardly from the bottom thereof, a conduit rising from the baffle plate and de- 50 tachably engaged about the lower end of said pipe, and a baiiie disc about the conduit adjacent the lower end of said curtain.

2. An air cleaner comprising a housing having separable upper and lower sections, the upper 55 section having an outlet at its upper end, an inlet tube extending vertically in said housing with its upper end portion projecting through the top of the upper section, and its lower end extending rounding said casing and depending from the lower end thereof with its upper portion engaged in said seat, and a bailie plate carried by said tube 4 70 and disposed adjacent the lower end of said skirt in spaced relation thereto.

3. An air cleaner comprising a housing having upper and lower sectionsdetachably connected with-each other, the upper section being formed 75 ing with its upper portion projecting through the top of the upper section and its lower portion ex- 5 tending into the lower section, a casing in the upper section fitting snugly therein, a fabric curtain secured about the lower end'of said casing and depending therefrom, cleaning elements in the casing about said pipe, and a baflie carried 10 by said pipe and disposed adjacent the lower end of said curtain in spaced relation thereto.

4. An air cleaner comprising a housing, a pipe extending vertically in said housing and projecting through one end thereof, the other end por- 15 tion or the housing having an air passage in aside thereoi', a casing in said housing about said tube in spacedrelation to the tube, a curtain oi flexible material depending from the lower end of said casing, cleaning means carried in said 20 casing about said tube, and a bame disc carried by the tube adjacent the lower end of said curtain in spaced relation thereto.

5. An air cleaner comprising a housing having a cylindrical body and upper and lower heads,

air inlet openings being formed in the body adjacent the upper head, an air outlet tube extending vertically. in said housing and having its lower portion projecting through the lower head and its upper end terminating below the upper head, a casing in said housing spaced from the cylindrical body and having a head at'its upper end, the casing being open at its lower end, a curtain of fabric carried by and depending from the casing about the lower end thereof, air cleamng means in said casing about said tube, a baflie disc' carried by said tube adjacent the lower end oi! said curtain, a threaded stem rising from the head of said casing and projecting through the upper head of said housing, and a nut threaded upon said stem to rest upon the'upper head or the housing, and support the casing in a vertically adjustedposition in the housing.

V GEORGE L. HEGLAR. 

